Sad Clouds and Treasonous Shadows: Glimpsing Christmas
by departedsoul13
Summary: Shikamaru has never been too lucky. As his fate would have it, not even the kind holiday of Christmas would show him mercy. One person in the Hidden Leaf Village prevents him, Kankuro, and Gaara from enjoying their holiday season without her even knowing it.


(Hi! I got this idea while writing my fanfic, Sad Clouds and Treasonous Shadows, but it strayed a bit from that setting to only using the same characters. On the bright side, that means its a lighter, happier fic felicitous for this holiday season!)

Ah, it's almost Christmas and I felt like whipping this up randomly. I suppose I'm still on my "exams-are-over" high. So take advantage of it if you'd like and I'll try not to turn this into _It's a Wonderful Life!_ OK?

Summary: Shikamaru is unlucky all year round. Christmas doesn't give him any leniency. A certain person seems to be preventing him, Gaara, and Kankuro from enjoying their wintery holiday to the fullest without even knowing it.

NOTE: Doesn't affect the ongoing story, Sad Clouds and Treasonous Shadows, I just came up with it originally in that story's setting. Sorry it's random!

* * *

_Sad Clouds and Treasonous Shadows: Glimpsing Christmas_

* * *

"Did you know? The meetings are going overtime; we're going to have to stay here over Christmas."

"So?"A dry, monotone voice replied as its owner read through papers seated before him. The puppeteer shrugged.

"Dunno. Just something different."Silence ensued between the two brothers. Kankuro shifted awkwardly and then cleared his throat. Gaara didn't look up, but the older brother knew the redhead was listening. "And uh, we still haven't gotten presents yet..."Added the older teen. Slowly, Gaara looked up. He seemed to frown.

"She's always so difficult..."

* * *

"HIYA!"

"YOSH!"

"Woohoo!"

"Hey, look out!"

"Watch it!"

The brilliant ninja Shikamaru Nara dodged and cleverly maneuvered about the sudden snowfield. No, snow hadn't come to the Hidden Leaf; some troublesome ninja had used an Ice Technique to distract the rather annoyingly bouncy children of the village with a feign snow. Normally Shikamaru would remain indifferent or amused towards the children's antics, but lately things had not been going his way. At the moment, the prospect of navigating through the bombardment and crossfire of a childish, havoc-wreaked snowball fight was not very delightful.

Shikamaru wasn't only in a poor mood because of past events but right now his scrooge-like manner originated from one single word that was oh-so-very common that time of year. If he lingered around the wild children for even five more minutes he was guaranteed to hear it mentioned.

Presents.

Yes, the genius Shikamaru Nara with all of his maturity, wisdom, and IQ points was tormented by the idea of purchasing Christmas gifts.

Shikamaru continued away from the snowball fight and returned to a street. As he walked downtown he glanced about for anything his friends wouldn't kill him for buying. He had already gotten his mother's gift along with Chouji and Ino's (neither of the latter were too hard to shop for) yet he knew more needed to be given. Two more exactly.

Somehow or another his incessantly jabbering friends had roped him into participating in a gift exchange and it wasn't an understatement to declare that Shikamaru Nara was less than thrilled. One can easily guess the words that came out of mouth.

"How troublesome."The phrase repeated itself as Shikamaru noticed the drop in temperature around him. He was in a crowded street yet could still feel the cold air of winter bite him. Again he perused windows and vendors yet found nothing. He groaned.

"How am I supposed to find something for Kiba _**here**_..."Voiced the ever-so distraught one.

* * *

"_It's cold..."_She absently thought as she departed from the building. Temari quickly headed back to her quarters which were halfway across town. No matter. To her it seemed to be a waste of chakra to just teleport there and her sudden appearance would no doubt startle Kankuro. Gaara however was about as unwavering as the weather around her. Who knew an ice block could live in the desert...

Her heels clacked as she made her way down a shadowy street. The sun was setting and the cold temperature rising. The din of town grew louder to her ears as she continued toward her Leaf home. Throughout the streets she noticed many a person gazing through windows or carrying parcels.

"_Last minuters."_She thought with a bemused, knowing smirk. She had gotten her gifts so long ago that if she wasn't the amazing Temari she would have forgotten about them and what they were entirely. Temari refused to succumb to the stress of last minute shopping only days before Christmas.

Others however were not so keen in that area as she.

* * *

"Gaara, I'm freezing. Let's just get her what we did last year."Kankuro unhappily strode along with the Kazekage as he shivered. Gaara on the other hand seemed completely unperturbed by the cold.

"Didn't you send a genin out to get her something from _Bath & Body Works_?"

"So? She liked it."

"I didn't realize you scream and throw boxes at people when expressing happiness..."Murmured the kage in silent sarcasm. Kankuro rolled his eyes.

"Fine. We just have to find something she really likes this year."

"Which is?"Kankuro remained silent.

"Well obviously...uh..._**fans**_..."The younger brother remained silent as he walked ahead of his troubled sibling.

"Dammit, Gaara, we'll never find her anything she likes!"Kankuro exclaimed as he paced up to his brother. Gaara stopped and the puppeteer turned around, realizing his sibling was not at his side. Kankuro followed Gaara's gaze into a large, bustling store looking like it had everything a girl of any age could want. The sign read "_Girl World_." Kankuro groaned.

"Go get her a gift."Kankuro snapped to his left to face Gaara.

"What?! _Me_?! In _**there**_?!"The brunette exclaimed. The redhead at his side remained stone faced.

"I refuse to go in there."Kankuro inwardly groaned. Great. Gaara had to be a teenage boy at _that_ moment.

"Why the hell not? Why send me in then?!"

"I'm the Kazekage. Too much would be speculated if I entered. And look..."Kankuro scoped out the store and finally saw what chaos had been unleashed. For all he knew, somebody opened Pandora's Box, unleashed the Titans, AND set loose all of the tailed beasts in there.

Women were fighting over articles of clothing and men emerged from piles of rings victoriously, leaving some beaten loser at the bottom. Little girls screamed and yelled about getting castles and old women were going at each other with their canes. The cashiers and other staff were either being surrounded by angry mobs, trying to escape, or crouching back in fear at their customers.

"Kankuro," Gaara began, earning his brother's attention again, "your loss in there will be a noble sacrifice." AKA, _"Kankuro, I'm far too important to risk my life in there, so someone far less useful will be better lost."_ Kankuro cursed as he attempted to survey the store from the outside for something that Temari would like, but all that caught his attention was a set of dentures flying across the room.

"You just don't wanna go in there 'cuz you hate crowds..."He muttered. The two continued standing outside the chaotic store, trying to spot something for Temari.

* * *

Meanwhile...

* * *

Shikamaru groaned as he left a store much akin to _Bass Pro_. He had not a clue what to get Kiba, but he supposed Kiba was a slight margin better than who he had in the first place. The initial name drawing had granted him to be the Secret Santa for Hinata Hyuga. Luckily, Tenten flagged him down to trade with her. Now he was wondering how it was a step up.

When first considering what to get the wild brunette, anything having to do with canines came to mind. However, that tidbit of information would have been a bit more helpful if the lazy nin was the Secret Santa for Akamaru. With anything having to do with dogs scratched off his list, Shikamaru had unconsciously wandered toward an outdoorsmen store. After ambling through the insanely large store for minutes uncounted, the ninja selected a Kiba-sized jacket that appeared to be a mixture of the one he donned now and the one from his genin days along with a giftcard. With that, Shikamaru Nara's gift list was now one name shorter with one more to go.

If Kiba seemed hard, he wasn't sure what to label this person.

Luckily, stores for wild people existed alongside canine-centered merchandise. Unfortunately, for the last person on Shikamaru's list he couldn't think of a single store under which she would fall. Ah yes, it would be fate that the tormentor of Shikamaru's calm mind would be _female_ _**AND**_ the last person on his Christmas list thus preventing him from enjoying his holiday. So close yet so far away seemed to be the appropriate saying.

As he milled about the streets once more, the genius was reminded of where he had picked up his mother and Ino's presents. A groan and all other negative reactions instantly transpired at the very remembrance. Not _**there**_. _Anywhere_ but _**there**_.

But he had no other lead, so hesitantly and disgruntled, the cloud watcher shuffled in the direction of a certain fearsome store.

After about ten minutes of navigating through busy streets and crowds, the teen reached his destination but perked up in surprise at the sight of two familiar faces lingering outside of the satanic store.

"Kankuro?"The puppeteer and his brother looked to their right to see none other than Shikamaru Nara heading their way with a look of sheer surprise on his face at their presence in front of _Girl World_.

"Heeey..."Kankuro drawled in greeted. Silence then ensued between the two. Strangely, it was Gaara who broke it.

"You're here for her too, aren't you?"Shikamaru voiced a discouraged, disheartened sigh.

"Yeeeep."

* * *

"I vote Nara goes in."

"What? And why should I? How long have you two been here?"

"Too long."Answered Gaara as he continued gazing inside the hell-loose store.

"I really don't want to go back in there, it's as bad as it looks, maybe worse."Kankuro shot Shikamaru a perturbed look.

"You've been in there before?"Shikamaru looked as if the memory was something he was eager to forget.

"Yeeaah. For my mom and Ino. This place is hell on earth."Kankuro looked back inside the store.

"Well, that's true, but we now have one advantage."

"And that is?"

"You've been inside."Shikamaru was the one shooting perturbed looks this time.

"You've seen around the store and all the stuff it has. With that knowledge, what can you think of that would be for Temari? That way we can narrow things down and storm through there without getting caught up in anything unnecessary."Shikamaru nodded.

"Yeah. Well I'm not too sure what's so Temari in there. There's pretty much something for every girl. I don't know what to get her, so I'm at a disadvantage. Do you have something in mind for her?"Kankuro and Gaara looked dead at the Leaf ninja, strong in one part of their plan.

"Bath stuff."Slowly the lazy ninja nodded as he recounted a layout of the store.

"Upstairs."Kankuro groaned and Gaara shot the store one of his infamous death glares. "It's to the right of the stairs. You'll see it once you're up there."The brothers stared the store down.

"Alright. Got it. I'm going in! C'mon, Gaara!"As Kankuro took a gallant step towards the store whilst grabbing Gaara's arm, Shikamaru stopped him.

"Wait-what does Temari like?"The two brothers stared at him as if a fool.

"Do you think we know that?"Hissed the puppeteer. "We guess every year!"With that, the Sand ninja (Gaara forcibly) bravely entered the mad store leaving a clueless chunin out alone in the cold. The teen sighed and then he too followed suit.

Kankuro had pretty much pushed his way as if a vanguard of some battalion through the chaotic crowded store. He was so close to the stairs that tripping over a beaten man on the wooden floor and nearly getting hit in the head with a tea kettle met absolutely nothing. Gaara meanwhile was still being dragged about but wordlessly followed along, remaining impassive to all the madness around him. Kankuro spotted the bottom of the stairs and immediately jerked Gaara along with him as he ran to them and then bolted up them.

Once the two were at the top, Kankuro let go of the Kazekage and they looked about for the bath items. At the same moment, both Kankuro and Gaara spotted the bath section and headed towards it boldly. Another war was being raged on the second level and bath items along with other merchandise had been scattered purposelessly about the floor. Displays were knocked over and in one corner near jewelry women were clawing each other while pulling their opponent's hair. Men were just as bad as the wrestled and fought for the last of certain items that they were all sure would please their wives or significant others.

"Does it exactly matter what we get her?"Gaara asked Kankuro as they eyed an almost empty display of bath packages. Kankuro grimaced as he watched the mayhem surrounding and gave his brother a reluctant shrug and shake of the head.

"I don't think so. Let's just get out of here before the Anbu are called in."Gaara nodded in agreement and picked up one of the remaining bath packages in an orange box. Hurrying, the two evacuated downstairs and attempted to fight through a mob in order to pay a petrified cashier. With the help of some fist work and sand, the mob was dispersed and the frightened teenager (still frightened, as he had seen sand moving on its own and an insane man with face paint wearing all black beating away at the already terrifying crowd) shakily accepted their money and bid them a nice day.

As the brothers left the store with relief and a plastic bag in one's hand, Kankuro spoke up.

"Ya know, I don't think we ever saw Shikamaru."The two looked around outside, which was devoid of any lazy shadow nins. "Wonder where he went..."

* * *

Though Kankuro and Gaara had safely and easily made their way about the store, Shikamaru was not so lucky.

Sure, he had the advantage of having been in it before, but the store was still a ticking time bomb, or from most people's view, a bomb that was stuck in the exploding phase. He had been jostled about the first floor and only had acquired one item for Temari's present so far. The two didn't know it, but as Kankuro and Gaara had returned downstairs some unlucky man had been tossed over the banister and had landed on the equally as unlucky analyst. Shikamaru had shoved the man aside and continued on his trek.

The rest of Shikamaru's time in _Girl World_ was just about as uncomfortable as the beginning portion of it. He nudged through crowds, ducked from thrown objects, and hid behind a few still standing displays for a while when a few women got armed with nail polish and candy canes on the second floor.

Needless to say, the Leaf chunin was thoroughly delighted when he finished his shopping and reached the cashier. Like Gaara and Kankuro he was forced to rely on his ninja techniques, but his shadows did less harm than Gaara's ravenous sand and Kankuro's angry fists. The cloud enthusiast emerged from the store with a sense that could only be described as, "_Thank God..."_

With his bags in hand and a completed Christmas list, Shikamaru tiredly set off for home.

* * *

"Hey."Temari greeted surprised as the weary pair of Gaara and Kankuro trudged through the door. "Where've you two been?"Her eyes drifted to the bag in Kankuro's hand but she said nothing.

"Out exploring Hell."Kankuro replied exasperated with an equally drained look on his face. Gaara didn't look too much better. The two passed her and headed to their rooms. Temari shrugged and took a sip of her tea.

"Well, do you guys want any hot cocoa? I've just made some."Kankuro's head popped out from his room.

"Sure. Spike it with something strong, please."Growled he before ducking back inside his room. Temari shook her head as she got up to ready her siblings' beverages.

Really, last minute Christmas shopping. Always such a bad idea. She smiled through as she grabbed two cocoa-filled mugs. Yet despite that wise blurb, the two always kept to their tardy tradition every year.

* * *

Days danced by filled with meetings, cocoa, paperwork, and wintery rants.

"It's too cold!"

"I can't find my pen..."

"Who the _hell_ took my hairdryer?!"

And at last came Christmas to the shinobi and citizens of the Hidden Leaf Village.

Kiba was fully gleeful with his gift from Shikamaru.

"Sweet! How'd you know I needed a new jacket, dude? Akamaru got a hold of my last one.."

Chouji of course was always overjoyed with gifts from his best friend.

"Alright! Giftcards to BBQ! Thanks, Shikamaru!"

Mrs. Nara and Ino were both impressed with what the lazy nin had purchased for them.

"Shikamaru, thank you. You know I needed some new things for the kitchen, and yet you've also got me something for myself too. Who knew such a lazy son could actually have been so thoughtful?"

"Wow, Shikamaru! Thanks! I love it! I can't believe you shopped there AND bought me more make up!"

Honestly, Shikamaru had not a clue of what he was doing when picking out either gift.

And what of the Hidden Leaf's visiting allies?

Gaara received a pair of pajamas, a set of pens, and an alarm clock from Temari while Kankuro gave him a box of energy drinks, three chocolate santas, an impressive looking box, and a bag of chakra pills.

Kankuro opened presents containing gift cards, shirts, and more face paint from Temari along with small tools to work on his puppets with, food coupons, chakra pills, and a box of energy drinks from Gaara.

Finally, the girl who caused three dignified ninjas such turmoil and conflict opened her gifts.

She opened her awkwardly wrapped present from her brothers and was unsurprised to see a bath set under the wrapping paper. She smiled radiantly at the two and they were very relieved. Temari had opened two other presents which had been filled with candy, ninja gear, and random amounts of money.

Later that Christmas Day, the oldest Sand sibling carried her gifts up to her room. Something on the windowsill caught her eye and after setting her gifts down, Temari opened the window and claimed a wrapped box. Curious, she looked around but saw no one. After closing her window she sat down on her bed to open the mysterious present. A small inspection of the package took place and she discovered a tag bearing the words, "_To Temari, From Shikamaru_" on the top of the gift.

"_Weirdo.."_She thought as she began to unwrap the present. She opened the box and laid eyes upon what Shikamaru had braved an insane store for. One after one the Sand ninja pulled out small gifts of different kinds of tea, hair bands, a pillow, and finally a portable shogi set. She smirked as she eyed all of the different presents and her eyes lingered over to the corner of her room where a wrapped box sat in loneliness.

* * *

Shikamaru lay on his bed with his eyes closed. He had once again received ninja gear and clothes from his mother. Chouji had given him a new, challenging game that he would try out later while Ino granted him a giftcard and a shirt. The person who had his name, none other than Hinata, gave him an incredibly soft, fluffy pillow on which he was currently laying his head upon. She had also knit him a warm, soft, durable scarf and gave him a few small boxes of homemade treats. Overall, his Christmas seemed to be pretty good.

A knock at his window caused his eyes to open and he moved the curtain aside and looked around but saw nothing. Something shimmered in the light and he opened his window to see a present dangling on the ledge from a ribbon attached to a kunai stuck in the wall of his house. With a knowing groan, he fished the present in and shut the window. A note was attached to it which read,

"_Shikamaru, thanks for the present, I really like everything. Apparently I scare you too much to deliver it in person AND stick around to see my reaction, but no matter. Here's your gift, since like I said before, my presence apparently scares you, Cry Baby. From, Temari."_

"Oh brother..."Shikamaru mumbled as he unwrapped his present. He was surprised as he opened it. Inside laid a set of shiny new kunai, a few books, candy, and an amazing painting of clouds. He gazed at the painting and smiled. Temari had outdone him. He looked back outside and saw the real clouds skirting across the sky dreamily. The sky was still gray, but the clouds didn't mind the cold weather or bleak output.

Finally, presents were completely done for one year. At that moment, Shikamaru could have been pelted mercilessly by the small children's snowballs yet he wouldn't have noticed due to his deep entrapment into his thoughts. Perhaps presents weren't so bad to get if it became some sort of mysterious competition. The smile wiped from his face and he fell back onto his bed.

Nope. Nothing was worth going back into that hell of a store, no matter what good feeling and accomplishment giving gave to one. Temari could tease him all she wanted, next year she was getting the first thing his eyes saw as long as he didn't get sucked into the last minute shopping chaos. Gaara and Kankuro would most likely agree with his thoughts on that subject despite their penchant towards doing the very act every year.

Shikamaru fell asleep and Christmas Day in the Hidden Leaf carried on. Snowballs flew, cocoa was gulped, and brightly lit faces greeted their new possessions. Temari looked out her own window and thought of what a wonderful time of year it was while downstairs Gaara and Kankuro rejoiced that the Christmas Chaos was finally over with for another year.

* * *

Fin.

* * *

Ah, finally done! I couldn't really get a feel for the ending and I'm not too sure where this story was even supposed to go, but I'm done! Just a little Christmas story I came up with that I was going to put as a "special" of sorts in my fic, Sad Clouds and Treasonous Shadows, but I really didn't want to disrupt the story...

Thanks for reading! Reviews are appreciated gifts; I think I've been good this year! Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!


End file.
